Sleepless
by velvie
Summary: When the team breathe in reverse sleeping gas on a mission, it leaves them unable to go to sleep for a week.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.**_  
_

_Prologue_

"Get out of here!" Robin yelled through a cloud of gas.

He heard his team battling their way through the cloud, coughing all the while. He too made his way out of the abandoned warehouse they had been sent to.

"What was that?" Conner asked, spluttering the words through coughs.

"Some kind of gas the Joker has created, but I have yet to analyse the gas to figure out what it does" Robin replied, typing away on his holographic computer trying to get an analysis of the substance.

"Let's just hope it's not poisonous" Kaldur said, his voice rough.

"It appears to be some kind of reverse sleeping gas" Robin muttered.

"Meaning?" Artemis asked, getting slightly annoyed by the whole affair.

"Meaning for the next week, none of us are going to sleep" Robin replied, looking gravely at the rest of the team. The rest of the team let out a unified gasp. They were in for a long week.


	2. M'gann

**A/N: Here's the first chapter to this story. Each chapter will be done from the point of view of each member of the team. Reviews are always appreciated! ~ Velvie**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.**

_Day 1: M'gann's POV_

24 hours without sleep was hard enough. I don't know how I or any of us will last a week. Most of us are already really tired and continually yawning. Wally and Robin don't appear to be phased by this sleeplessness, and Artemis is also fairly awake. I guess they're more used to staying awake than the rest of us.

"I'm so bored" I heard Wally groan.

"Why don't you watch some tv?" I suggested to him.

"I did that already" he replied, slumping out of his chair and onto the floor. He had a point. We had already done most things the cave had to offer, entertainment wise. This really was going to be a long week.

"Why don't we go for a ride in the bioship?" I said, thinking out loud. I smiled when I saw the others nodding in agreement. We all headed to the bioship I put it on autopilot. We were free to relax while it took us for a ride around Happy Harbour.

"How are we ever gonna survive this?" Conner voiced the same question I was thinking.

"We just have to grin and bear it" Robin sighed. His voice didn't sound tired at all and he was definitely the most upbeat. I considered reading his mind to see if he was hiding something, but quickly realised that would be wrong.

"Robin, are you even tired?" I queried. He looked me in the eyes and waited a moment before replying.

"I patrol with Batman every night. I'm used to getting less sleep." He told me, shrugging. I just nodded and accepted that answer.

* * *

That night, Robin stayed in the cave with us in the cave. We played games and watched movies to pass the time, but I couldn't fully concentrate. Why wasn't Robin patrolling with Batman?

"Robin, shouldn't you be out on patrol?" I summoned the courage to ask. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him.

"Batman wants me to wait this reverse sleeping gas off before I join him again, just in case there's any side effects or it makes me too tired to focus" he replied coolly, shrugging again. I figured something was off by the way he answered. He was too calm and reserved. I didn't pry any further, though. If he was hiding something, he had a good reason for it. We all went back to our games without mentioning it again. I'm sure I'm just being paranoid.

* * *

As the night went on I could see people getting more and more tired. I was getting tired too. I couldn't shake the paranoia, and I could feel myself getting annoyed with everyone.

"Hey M'gann, what do you want to watch next?" Wally asked me.

"I really don't care" I snapped back. I covered my mouth, gasping. Had I really said that? The hurt look on Wally's face confirmed that I had.

"Ok... forget I asked" he said, shrinking back slightly. He flicked through the channels while Conner went to the kitchen to get some drinks. Wally finally settled on a show about animals and we all got comfortable on the sofas and chairs. Conner came over, carrying drinks for Wally and Artemis. He then did the same for Kaldur and Robin. He finally headed over with a drink for him and a drink for me. I saw him stumble over a game piece and the drinks went flying. They landed all over me.

"Conner!" I shrieked, slapping him. He stepped back, confused. Had I really just hit him? My eyes widened and filled with tears. I ran from the room, crying, and I could feel the eyes of the others watching me leave.

This was going to be a long week.

**A/N: Sorry it's so short. Hopefully the other chapters will be longer. Up next, Kaldur! Review! **


	3. Kaldur

**A/N: Thanks for all the favouriting, follows and reviews! You guys are great! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I apologise if it's a bit waffle-y. Please review! ~ Velvie**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.**

_Day 2: Kaldur's POV_

I can feel myself growing wearier every second, with no way of relief. Some people are starting to change due to fatigue, such as M'gann, who had a surprising outburst yesterday. We have all put it down to tiredness, as she is a Martian and she may be feeling the effects differently to us. Nobody will question her, though. We have all just let it go. She did apologise later that evening.

Robin and I have been keeping up with our training to pass the time. After 48 hours without sleep, Batman's protégé is surprisingly full of energy.

"Robin, may I ask how you're so awake after this length of time without sleep?" I queried.

"I'm Batman's protégé, we patrol late every night" he replied simply, shrugging. I'm not sure I accept this as the complete reason, as even Batman himself would not knowingly let Robin's health suffer this way. I took that as an answer, for I did not want to risk prying into his personal life.

Wally and Artemis seemed quite lively in comparison too. Maybe it is because they are fully human and this sleeplessness is affecting them differently. Conner, being a clone, has never experienced sleep deprivation in his short life. Without questioning the trio I can only assume that this is the case. I think I will do a little questioning.

"Wally, could I ask you something?" I asked the speedster. It was evident he was bored, which meant my invitation for a conversation would be hard to refuse.

"Sure" he replied happily, filling his mouth with chips.

"I'd like to know why you, Robin and Artemis are so awake at a time like this" I informed him. An expression flashed across his face so quickly I could not recognise it, but it resembled a look of fear or worry.

"I don't know about them, but I guess it's because I eat a lot of sugary snacks" he replied, staring into his bag of chips to avoid eye contact. I could definitely tell something was up.

"I don't believe that is the whole reason for your alertness" I said bluntly. He glared at me and for a moment I wondered if I had gone too far.

"Dude, I'm tired, like everyone else. I'm just better at hiding it, I guess." He said, his glare changing to a typical Wally smirk. I inwardly sighed with relief and excused myself from the conversation. I will target Artemis next. I fear she will be indirect with me but I have to try. She seems to be the most tired of the trio but she is still alert. In fact, she seemed more alert than usual. Maybe she was getting tired too.

"Artemis" I called out to her softly. She jumped and spun round to face me, glaring. "I'm sorry, did I frighten you?" I asked her.

"No!" she replied, almost yelling. She was definitely starting to feel the effects of the sleep loss. I decided to divert the conversation and leave quickly.

"I was just wondering how you are coping" I said quickly, hoping she wouldn't take it to be patronising.

"Oh. I'm fine. I'm used to late nights." She said, dropping her guard slightly but her voice was still edged with a defensive tone.

"Why is that?" I queried. I may be able to find out why she was acting so defensively.

"No reason!" she replied quickly, and I knew that I should drop the subject.

I nodded silently to her and walked away. I saw Conner and M'gann curled up on the couch and decided not to bother them. I could hear Robin in the training room still and went back to join him. Something was definitely going on with Wally, Robin and Artemis. I became suddenly overwhelmed with rage and punched the door to the training room. It opened to reveal a surprised Robin. Why had I been so enraged? The idea that I wasn't in control of my feelings and my body enraged me even further. I swung a fist at Robin, who dodged with ease. What was going on? His dodging just made me angrier and angrier, and I kept punching and kicking.

"What's wrong, Kaldur?" I heard Robin's concerned question over the blood pounding in my ears. I dropped to my knees and tears crept out of my eyes. I covered my face.

"I- I don't know!" I yelled at Robin, taking another swing at my friend as he approached. He stepped back, thankfully.

"You're just tired" he told me. I looked up to see his sympathetic smile.

"But why are you not acting this way?!" I cried. He shrugged and smiled.

"I'm just not tired yet" he replied. "Now I suggest you go to your room and just relax. Just because you can't sleep, doesn't mean you can't relax and unwind." He smiled down at me, and offered me his hand. I took it gratefully, smiling at the boy I had come to think of as my brother. He walked with me to my room and smiled as I closed my door. He seemed to know so much about all this. But why? It doesn't matter. I should get some rest. I, along with the others, am in for a hard week.

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Please leave a review! Next up, Conner's POV! ~ Velvie**


	4. Conner

**A/N: Hey guys, thank you so much for all the support for this fic! It's really great. As always, reviews are welcome. ~ Velvie**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.**

_Day 3: Conner's POV_

I'm tired. I can't remember staying awake for more than 24 hours before, and now I have to stay up for a whole week. But I'm not angry. I'm too tired to be angry. I waste to much energy being angry. I feel like I could fall asleep but I know that I can't. That makes me a little angry. But mostly I'm just... tired. At least I'm not the only one who is tired. M'gann and Kaldur have already snapped and it's only been 3 days. I hope I'm not next.

Wally and I took Wolf outside after lunch for some air. Wally wasn't my first choice but I figured M'gann and Kaldur would be too tired and I knew Artemis and Robin were training. I don't know how they have the energy for that.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Wally's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He could clearly tell I was distracted.

"Nothing. I'm just tired." I replied bluntly yet truthfully. He looked at me for a moment before smiling and shrugging.

"Most of us are" he said, smirking slightly. He seemed his usual self but the darkness under his eyes told me he was tired too.

"Hope you don't mind if I go for a run." Wally called, speeding away. I was kinda glad he was gone so I could think but I wasn't sure I wanted to be alone. Something just didn't feel right. I'm so tired. I can't take it anymore. Tears were forming in my eyes. Was I... crying? No. Superboy doesn't cry. But maybe Conner does. I collapsed onto my knees and covered my face with my hands. I could feel Wolf beside me, trying to comfort me. I buried my face in his thick fur. I can't take it anymore. I need to sleep. I don't know how I will survive the next 4 days.

In the distance I could hear Wally returning. In a matter of seconds he was back by my side. I didn't want him to see me cry, but there was no way out of it.

"What's wrong, Supey?" Wally asked, concern in his tone.

"I can't take it anymore! I'm so tired and I just can't stand it." I was almost yelling at the speedster. His facial expression showed genuine concern as he sat down beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"We're all in this together, dude. We're all getting tired, but we'll all get through it. As a team." His words were comforting but I couldn't control my crying. I buried my face further into Wolf's fur and I kept crying. I was glad that Wally was there. Despite his somewhat annoying tendencies, he's a great friend.

We stayed out until after the sun had set. I didn't want to face the others like this. I didn't want them to know I had been crying.

"I think we should head back now" Wally said calmly. I nodded in agreement, wiping the last of the tears from my face. We stood up and walked silently back to the Cave with Wolf following.

"Thanks" I mumbled before we entered.

"No problem" he replied, smiling.

"You're not going to tell anyone, right?" I asked, suddenly worried that the speedster would tell everyone what had happened.

"I won't tell anyone. You have my word."

Back in the Cave, I slumped down onto the couch next to M'gann.

"You were gone for a long time. How was your day?" she asked innocently. I looked at her for a moment before I began crying into her shoulder. I guess he didn't need to keep his word anymore.

**A/N: I'm trying to keep this updated regularly, so the next chapter should be out soon! Next up: Artemis. Review!**


	5. Artemis

**A/N: You guys are awesome! thank you so much for all the response I've had to this fic. It's great! As always, reviews are welcome! ~ Velvie**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.**

_Day 4: Artemis' POV_

I can handle this. Nothing I haven't done before. I was raised for this. I was raised to be independent of basic needs. I don't need to sleep. I learnt that the hard way. Four days without sleep can really take it out of some people, but not me. Not me.

Half of the team had already cracked by this point. They were a mess. Conner spent all day moping around, laying on the couch. M'gann snapped at just about everyone, and Kaldur had completely isolated himself in fear of hurting someone. Wally and Robin seemed fine. Well, Wally was Wally.

"Hey Beautiful" The speedster called, dashing up behind me.

"What do you want, Baywatch?" I sighed back.

"I'm bored. Let's play a game, or watch a movie, or go outside, or anything!" he said, practically begging. I rolled my eyes; he looked pathetic, begging like this.

"Why don't you go play with Robin?" I suggested, trying to get him to leave.

"I can't find him. He's probably training or out or something. Either way he's gotta be less bored than me!" Wally whined. I let out a long sigh and thought for a moment.

"Fine, we'll do something. Let's... um..." I couldn't think of what to do. I looked around frantically for some inspiration. "Let's go out for ice cream." That sounded like a good idea. Ice cream never hurt anyone, and it was a nice day.

"Awesome!" Wally cheered.

"But, we're going to take everyone. They could all use some fresh air." I told Wally. He looked at me like I'd gone insane.

"How are you gonna convince them to even move?" He asked, confused.

"I'll find a way." I said, smirking.

* * *

The first person Wally and I had to find was Robin. If we could find him, we'd have an extra person to help us convince the others. We headed straight for the training room where, sure enough, we found him. He'd barely left the place since the first day.

"Robin, we're all going out for ice cream. You in?" Wally said before I had a chance to speak.

"Sure. Wait, all of us? How'd you convince everyone else?" He replied, an intrigued look creeping over his face.

"That's where you come in." I told him. He still looked slightly confused, so I elaborated. "We need you to help us get them to agree to come. We figured you're pretty persuasive, so you're the most likely to convince them." I saw his puzzled expression change into a smirk. He nodded and we headed out to find Kaldur.

* * *

"Kaldur!" Wally yelled tactlessly as we entered the Atlantean's room. Kaldur jumped to his feet, ready to attack, but dropped his guard when he saw it was us. I elbowed Wally in the rib.

"What can I do for you?" Kaldur said, straightening up. Robin stepped forward to explain that we were going for ice cream and he was coming whether he wanted to or not. Kaldur's expression looked thoughtful while he listened and I could tell he wanted to come.

"But what if I lose control?" He said nervously, looking down in shame.

"We won't let you" Robin said softly. He really had a way with people. Sometimes I wish I were more like Robin, but I guess it's too late for that now.

"Very well, I shall accompany you." Kaldur said. We left and made our way to the entertainment room to persuade Conner and M'gann.

* * *

"No" Conner mumbled after hearing our suggestion.

"No isn't an answer" I replied, scowling at him. Even when he's tired he's grumpy. I think he may be even grumpier.

"Conner, it'll be fun. I promise." M'gann called over from the other side of the room. At least one of them was on our side.

"I'm. Not. Coming." He said through gritted teeth. He buried his face into the couch cushion.

"Yes. You. Are!" I yelled, losing my temper. I pushed the couch from behind, sending him rolling off. Instead of jumping to his feet to attack, he stayed on the floor, pushing his face into the rug. Kaldur and I each grabbed one of his arms and heaved him up off the floor. M'gann took his hand and smiled up at him.

"Come on, Conner. It'll be fun." She told him. She seemed in a better mood today, which was good, considering we were going out in public with her. Conner just grunted and followed as M'gann guided him to the zeta tubes. I followed with the others and we made our way to an ice cream parlour in Gotham.

* * *

"I'll have chocolate!" Wally yelled.

"Strawberry" said M'gann.

"Vanilla" Conner sighed.

"Vanilla for me also, please" Kaldur said to me.

"So that's two vanillas, a strawberry, a chocolate and a mint. What about you, Boy Wonder?" I said, noticing that Robin had been quiet since we arrived. We were in Gotham, the city we both lived in. He was normally cool and confident wherever we went, especially here, but today he seemed distracted. He was studying the newspaper clippings on the wall. They were clippings of various articles ranging from the opening of the parlour to Batman articles to random events. I saw him specifically looking to the one about The Flying Graysons. Why would he be interested in that? I didn't have time to think about it, because I heard his voice calling my name. He'd noticed me staring at him!

"I'll have mint" he said, smirking. I scowled at him briefly before marching off to order the ice creams.

* * *

We all sat and ate our ice creams, enjoying the weather and laughing together, like times before this sleeping drama. It didn't take long for us to finish, but we sat around and enjoyed each other's company a little longer. I didn't notice when the conversation stopped.

"So Artemis, why are you still so energetic?" M'gann asked innocently. Everyone was looking at me, waiting for the answer. What do I say? They don't know me. I can't tell them. But I don't know what to say. Before I had chance to think up some excuse, I heard my story being spoken aloud by my own mouth.

"It comes from all the nights I spent awake as a kid. My father trained me and my sister to endure nights without sleep and other things and every time I failed by falling asleep or crying he would punish me with beatings or isolation or any number of awful things. This happened regularly, because he was training us to be assassins. I just adjusted to being awake longer. That fear is still there. Some nights when I hear the sound of my father's voice I feel I have to keep awake or he'll punish me. That doesn't happen often anymore, though." I glanced around to see the shocked expressions of the others. I then looked down, clenching my thumbs and biting back the tears.

"Have you ever told anyone?" Robin asked cautiously. I shook my head, still not looking up.

"I couldn't. When the two people you live with are also a part of this, who is there to tell? Dad was dishing out this torture and Jade was enduring it with me."

"Wait, Jade? As in, Cheshire?" Wally asked. I nodded again, and looked up briefly to see the shock still on their faces.

"So... who is your dad?" Kaldur asked quietly. I remained silent a moment longer as a single tear trailed down my face.

"Sportsmaster." The audible gasps from around the table were enough for the tears to flow freely. I had broken. I wasn't strong enough.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry that this chapter took a little longer to get up, I'm getting busier and that means less time for writing. Boo. Next up: Wally! Review! ~ Velvie**


	6. Wally

**A/N: You guys are fantastic! Thanks for all the response to this story. I hope you like this next chapter. ~Velvie**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.**

_Day 5: Wally's POV_

I'm tired. But I'm not tired. Speed makes me more tired. Experience makes me less. I've got a good balance going on here. I'll be fine. I'm always fine. I'm Wally.

Going out yesterday was great. I felt like we were ourselves again, for a little while. Most of the team are feeling the effects of sleep loss now, but Robin and I are still going strong. We only have a few more days to go. I waltzed into the kitchen area, whistling a cheery tune.

"Mornin' everyone!" I called happily. I chorus of groans came from the table. Everyone was there except Robin.

"Why are you so perky, Baywatch?" Artemis mumbled, her face pressed against the surface of the table.

"Good question" I replied smirking. She lifted her head to look at me then slammed it back against the table.

"Hey, where's Rob?" I asked.

"He went to get something I think" M'gann said in a dull tone, staring intently at a cornflake in her bowl.

"Oh. When'd he leave?"

"About half an hour ago" she replied, never looking away from the cornflake. Half an hour? It's 8am now, what could he possibly have needed at 7:30 in the morning? I silently picked up my cereal and took it to my room. Shortly after I'd entered my room, I heard the zeta beams.

_"Recognised: Robin B-01"_

"Robin!" I yelled as I jumped up, spilling cereal everywhere. I raced out of my room, making a mental not to clear up the cereal later. I entered the entertainment room at almost full speed. I noticed he didn't have anything with him. He went to get something, right?

"Where were you, dude?!" I yelled.

"I was out" he replied, shrugging. I didn't really care where he went. It wasn't my business, anyway.

"Wanna do something? Wait, no, we're doing something. Your call." I told him. I could see he was thinking it over, probably trying to think of what I'd want to do the least.

"Training" he said. I was right, that was what I wanted to do the least.

"What? Dude, can't we-" I began.

"My call." He cut me off, smirking. I sighed and rolled my eyes as I stomped along behind him.

* * *

When we got to the training room, he told me we would be training in our civvies. A momentary panic set in but I pushed it aside before it could show.

"You first" Robin said, gesturing towards me with his hands. I stared at him for a second, thinking of how best to attack, when suddenly the 13 year old's body was flung at me. He took me down easily, and winded me slightly.

"Dude, you said I was first!" I yelled at him, a little angry.

"You took too long; your enemy won't give you time to think" he said, grinning. I pushed him off me and got back to my feet. I threw a punch in his direction, but he caught it. Mad because I had been so easily caught out twice, I threw a harder punch, only to have it stopped again. I locked eyes with Robin, and his smirk displayed he thought he was gonna beat me. Not a chance. While keeping eye contact, I swung a leg in his direction, hooking his leg with my foot and pulling him off balance. He fell and pulled me on top of him.

"Well played" he mumbled. I smiled victoriously as I rolled off of him. I punched the air in mock triumph, and my shirt rose slightly, exposing my side.

"What are those?" I heard him say, and saw him pointing to a group of thin scars curling round my side. I quickly pulled my shirt down.

"Those are nothing" I said quickly. He looked me straight in the eyes and nodded. He flashed me a smirk before roundhouse kicking me, the toe of his shoe landing a perfect hit to my butt. I rubbed the sore area briefly before throwing a punch at him. He dodged, and I kept throwing punches, missing every time. He returned some, but I was also quick and dodged them all. We took a break, breathless yet smiling.

"You up for Round 2?" I asked happily. Despite my initial reservations, I was having fun.

"I am if you are" Robin replied. We jumped up and started attacking each other again. After a while I began to tire out and my attacks became weaker. Robin definitely had the edge over me now. I threw myself toward him to attack, but he easily tripped me up. I landed with a thud, my shirt rising up and exposing my back. I heard Robin gasp as he got a view of the scars marring my back. He got a view of my childhood.

"Dude, don't tell me those are nothing. What happened?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. I sighed and rolled into a sitting position. I pulled my knees in to my chest and rested my chin on them. I didn't know what to say.

"Those are... from when I was a kid" I said, chewing my lip. Memories were flooding my mind, and none were pleasant.

"What happened when you were a kid?" Robin said softly. He knows almost everything about me, this being the almost. I've never told anyone about this, except Uncle Barry and Aunt Iris. We sat in silence for a while, and I chewed my lip, thinking about whether to tell him or not. He was my best friend, after all. But... I don't know if I'm ready to talk.

"My dad..." I started. I didn't need to say any more. I could tell that he already knew, just from those two words. Tears started to seep out of my eyes, and I couldn't blink them away. Robin wrapped an arm around me and pulled me in closer. I cried onto his shoulder, and he sat and comforted me. Neither one of us talked. After a while, I pulled away from Robin.

"What are you doing?" he asked as I stood up. I wrestled my shirt off and showed him the scars. They had faded a lot over the years, but they were still faintly visible. Robin covered his mouth and gasped when he saw all the marks on my body.

"This, is what happened to me when I was a child. My dad beat me often. He'd beat me when I was defiant, when I cried, when he was in a bad mood. There were many reasons." I confessed.

"How come I've never seen these before, I mean, we've been to the beach together and you didn't wear a shirt then. How'd you hide these from me?"

"I cover them with make-up. I don't want people to see these. Not at school in the locker rooms, not at the swimming pool or the beach. I'm ashamed of them and the tales they tell." I told him, tears leaking out of my eyes once again. Robin stood and walked over to me, pulling me into another hug. We just stood there in each other's embrace, and we didn't notice when the door opened.

"You guys have been in here forev-" Artemis began, but was cut off when she saw us. The rest of the team followed her in and they all stared and gasped at the state of my torso.

"Wally what happened to you?" M'gann cried as she ran over to hug me. I let go of Robin and returned her hug, sighing.

"you guys might as well know too" I said.

"Dude, are you sure?" Robin whispered to me. I nodded and he gave a short nod of acceptance.

"I didn't have the greatest childhood. I was often beaten by my father. He'd yell at me and tell me how I was bad and how he hated me, then he'd take off his belt and lash me with it. Sometimes, he would beat me with his fists, punching me relentlessly until I bled or passed out. If I cried, he would beat me more." I looked around and saw expressions of horror on everyone's faces. "I guess this is why I've been fine without sleep. Often my dad wouldn't let me go to bed until really late because he thought sleep was for weak. If I fell asleep, he would beat me awake. When I was allowed to go up to my room, I spent the rest of the night crying as quietly as possible while my dad argued with my mom. That is, until she disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Conner queried. I nodded, and glanced down at the floor. Everyone knew what I meant by disappeared at that point. Everyone could tell she was dead. The team rushed over to me and embraced me, and fresh tears rolled down my cheeks. I dropped to my knees, sobbing into my hands. Everyone bent down to comfort me. I'd be surprised if they didn't pity me. But I don't want it. Pity is for the weak. That's what dad taught me. But then, dad told me to be tough, and I'm on the floor crying. The others may have broken because of this tiredness, but I was broken all along. I'm sorry, dad. I'm not good enough. I never was.

**A/N: I hope this was good enough for you guys, I know you were all looking forward to the Wally chapter. Next up: Robin. Review! ~Velvie**


	7. Dick

**A/N: Here's the chapter a lot of you have been looking forward too. This one was quite hard to write, because although I had the idea, I didn't know what to do with it. I hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to review! ~Velvie**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.**

_Day 6: Dick's POV_

I've spent most of my week bettering myself through training. I'm not going to let a little sleep loss defeat me. Sleep and I were never good friends, anyway. Robin can take this. I can take this.

"Training again today, I suppose?" Wally called over to me as I was leaving the entertainment room.

"Of course. You in?" I replied. The speedster shook his head.

"Nah dude, I'm tired. Why don't you come do something else instead? I was gonna see if anyone wanted to play a game. Ya know, team bonding and whatever."

"I think I'll pass." I told him, and turned to leave.

"Oh come onnnn!" my best friend whined. I sighed and turned toward him again.

"Fine. What're we playing?" I asked. He grinned and ran off wordlessly to rally the others. This could be interesting.

* * *

"Truth or dare!" Wally announced to the team. We all groaned. "But, there's a twist; we have a dance battle. I'll go first, and choose a person. We dance, and if they win, they ask me, and if I win, I ask them. We keep going like that. The person who loses chooses their rival and so on. Got it?" We all nodded with vague understanding. "Robin! You first!" I grunted as I walked over to the TV and waited for the dance to start. I always won dance battles. I beat the song with ease while Wally struggled to keep up, everyone laughing at him as he failed to do the moves.

"Ok, truth or dare?" I asked, smirking.

"Dare!" Wally yelled in a tone of fearless defiance. I looked quickly over to Artemis.

"I dare you to kiss Artemis!" everyone cheered and laughed, except Artemis, who vowed to kill us both later. Wally glared at me and walked over to Artemis. He hesitated for a moment before planting a kiss on her cheek. We all cheered and wolf whistled as the two of them went red.

"My turn again. M'gann!" he said quickly. He won easily, because M'gann had barely ever played this dance game, and didn't know all the moves and controls. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth" M'gann replied. Knowing Wally, he'd pick something difficult to answer.

"Who is your favourite person on the team?" Yep. He picked something difficult. I knew he would.

"Oh... uh... I love you all, you're all so kind and welcoming to me, but, I have to say Conner. He's my boyfriend, after all." M'gann replied, blushing. We played several rounds, laughing and joking around and having a great time.

"Robin, you're up!" Artemis said to me. I walked over and accepted her challenge, knowing she couldn't beat me. I'd almost won when Wally stuck out his leg and tripped me up. Artemis won. "Truth or dare?" she asked, smirking.

"That wasn't fair." I muttered.

"I don't care; truth or dare?" Artemis repeated the question. I thought hard for a moment about the possible things she could pick for both answers.

"Truth." I decided.

"Why aren't you tired like the rest of us?" she asked immediately. She'd been saving this question for me, and I could tell by the looks of the rest of the team that they all wanted to know too.

"I'm Robin." I said, shrugging. I'd used this excuse throughout the week and I hoped it still worked.

"No, I want the _real _reason." Artemis prompted. I thought about it long and hard. I should really tell them the truth. But the truth is my identity. Can I risk that?

"Nightmares" I muttered under my breath. Everyone looked surprised. I guess they never thought that the Boy Wonder could have nightmares. Except Wally. He already knew.

"What are your nightmares about?" Artemis fired a follow up question.

"Hey, only one question allowed." I retaliated. I could see that everyone wanted to know, and I wondered if they were concerned. Of course they were, they were my friends. I sighed and sat down, cross-legged. The others copied me and waited for me to speak.

"Well?" Artemis said, getting impatient.

"I have nightmares about my family. About what happened to them. I used to have these nightmares every night after it happened, and I could never get back to sleep. So, over the years, I've adapted to just sleeping less. I would spend my nights thinking about them and waiting for the sun to come up. I have these nightmares less often now, but they still come back to me, accounting for more and more sleepless nights." I admitted to them. There was a round of quiet gasps.

"That leaves us with one more question." Kaldur said quietly.

"Who were your family?" M'gann finished for him. I looked around at them and then to Wally. He nodded, as if he knew what I was thinking. I pulled off my sunglasses and heard another round of gasps.

"My family were The Flying Graysons. I'm sure some of you are familiar with the story. But for those of you that aren't, here it is; I was part of my family's circus act. We were trapeze artists. The highlight of the circus. One day, a guy called Tony Zucco tried to extort money from the circus. The money wasn't given to him, so he got revenge. He sabotaged The Flying Grayson's. My family fell to their deaths from the trapeze wires which had been covered in acid. My mom called out my name as she fell, and that was the last thing she said before she died." Tears threatened to spill from my eyes as I recounted the awful events of April 1st. Everyone came over to comfort me, except Wally, who hung back. He already knew my story. He was, after all, my best friend.

* * *

Later, after everyone had gotten over the eventful game of truth or dare, we all sat down to watch a movie. It felt great to be able to sit with my friends, knowing that I had nothing to hide. I was free from my secrets. Maybe Robin can take it, but Dick could never survive without his friends.

**A/N: This isn't the end, there's still one more day to go. Keep reviewing! I'll try to update soon. ~Velvie.**


	8. Final Hours

**A/N: Here it is, the last chapter. I hope you've all enjoyed this fic and that you enjoy this chapter. As always, reviews are appreciated and loved! ~ velvie**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.**

_Day 7: hour 1_

"5 more hours…" Wally muttered under his breath.

The team were all desperate for this week to end; even Dick had grown weary. They could barely lift their heads to watch the TV that had been on for the last 18 hours. Nobody got up to eat or go to the bathroom because they were all too tired. The night before, Dick had set up a countdown of how many more hours this torture would last. Occasionally somebody would glance over to the countdown and groan when they saw the time.

"I'm gonna sleep for a century after this" Artemis growled halfheartedly. She tapped her fingers on the arm rest, the pattern irregular and each finger barely lifting off the surface.

"Agreed" everyone replied quietly. They weren't even sure what they were watching anymore, and nobody could pay attention. Dick picked mindlessly at popcorn kernels in a bowl beside him. Most of the kernels had been destroyed by his picking, but that didn't stop him repeating the action time and time again. The team looked over at the countdown in unison and sighed: 4 more hours.

* * *

_Hour 2_

Kaldur struggled to get comfy in the armchair he had been sitting in for the past 19 hours. He wriggled around with all the strength he could muster and struggled restlessly to find a reasonable position on the nearly flat cushion beneath him.

"Stop moving Kaldur!" M'gann yelled. The pair engaged in a glare that could challenge Batman's. Conner sighed and pulled M'gann into his arms.

"Calm down, M'gann. It'll be over soon." He cooed, glancing impatiently at the countdown and willing it to move faster. M'gann settled in his embrace and the tension diffused.

"Make it end!" Kaldur roared demandingly. He glared over at the countdown: 3 more hours.

* * *

_Hour 3_

"Wally come here" Artemis commanded gently. The speedster looked at her suspiciously. He sighed and got up anyway.

"What do you want?" he whined. She patted the sofa cushion beside her and smiled.

"Sit" she gave him another command. Warily he sat, and instantly Artemis collapsed into his lap, sighing dreamily as she curled up beside the redhead. He smiled warmly and placed a hand on her arm while stroking her hair gently with the other.

"I love you, Artemis" he whispered gently so she wouldn't hear. He glanced at the countdown: 2 more hours.

* * *

_Hour 4_

Dick stared intently at one specific part of the cave's wall. Kaldur looked over at Dick, then up at the wall, then back at Dick.

"Are you alright, Ro- Dick?" he asked, still getting used to calling the younger boy by his real name. The boy just kept staring. Kaldur got up and walked slowly over to Dick. He waved his hand in front of Dick's face, but the boy just continued to stare. Kaldur looked around at his team mates for help.

"I think he's broken" Wally suggested unhelpfully. Everyone glared at the redhead, who smiled slightly. Conner let go of M'gann and walked over to join Kaldur beside Dick. He grabbed the boys shoulders and shook gently. Dick stared on a second longer before shaking his head and snapping back into reality.

"What was that, dude?" Wally asked. Dick looked around at the concerned faces staring at him.

"Sorry, spaced out. I was just thinking, that's all." The young boy said, trying to comfort his still confused and concerned friends.

"About what?" M'gann asked, adjusting herself to sit up properly. The Boy Wonder shook his head and bowed it slightly. Words were not needed to explain what he was thinking about; everyone knew. Wally glanced over at the calendar and saw that the date was April 1st.

"Dude, I'm sorry. I forgot what day it was." Wally said sympathetically. Everyone turned their attention to Wally and stared at him in confusion. Artemis was the first of the group to realise.

"Oh… I'm sorry Dick" she said, sitting up. Dick shook his head.

"Don't be. It's fine." He sighed. He tried to pull a fake smile, but everyone could see through it. One by one, each person got up and hugged Dick. He fought back the tears which were brought on by both the events of that day all those years ago, and by how caring his friends were. Through watery eyes he looked over to the countdown: 1 more hour.

* * *

_The Final Hour_

Everyone impatiently stared at the countdown. They all knew that watching it wouldn't make it go faster, but they couldn't help it. Artemis had taken up her old position, head on Wally's lap. M'gann had also returned to Conner's embrace. Kaldur sat cross-legged in one armchair, and Dick picked a hole in another. The time ticked slowly by, and everyone cheered quietly when the countdown signaled that there was only 30 minutes to go.

"I've never been so excited to go to sleep" Artemis sighed, making sure she was comfortable so she could sleep peacefully.

"How do we know when we can go to sleep?" M'gann asked. Everyone looked at her before realising that she was right; they may not know whether they've regained the ability to sleep.

"I guess we'll just know" Dick replied, shrugging. Everyone heard a thud and saw Kaldur on the floor, snoring softly.

"Or maybe we'll do that" Wally said. As time passed, M'gann and Conner both fell asleep, holding one another.

"Can it be my turn next?" Artemis mumbled. As soon as she finished her sentence, her eyes closed and she was instantly asleep. Wally and Dick looked to one another, and got comfortable in preparation.

"Wally, shouldn't you have been the first to fall asleep, seeing as you're a speedster?" Dick questioned. Wally shrugged in reply.

"I dunno, I guess this isn't affected by my spee-" he stopped mid sentence and fell asleep. Dick sighed and smiled before drifting off into a dream world of his own.

* * *

"I'm back! Zatanna yelled as she walked out of the zeta tubes. She stopped abruptly when she saw her team mates sleeping. She frowned in confusion before smirking. "This will make great blackmail material." She said, pulling out a camera.

**A/N: That's it! I hope you liked this, and I hope you read more of my fics. Review! ~ velvie**


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